Begin Simulation
by SilvorMoon
Summary: Some Psycho Rangers, a Simudeck, a Silver Ranger, and a twisted plan.


  
Disclaimer: The Power Rangers, Psycho Rangers, and everything else relating to the Power  
Rangers is the property of Saban.  
  
Time frame reference: The morning directly after the Rangers's first encounter with the Psycho  
Ghosts, directly before their Mission to Secret City.  
  
Begin Simulation  
By: SilvorMoon  
  
"I don't understand it," Andros muttered, frowning at the computer he had taken apart.  
"Everything seems to be working perfectly."  
  
"Then maybe it is," T.J. suggested. "All computers mess up sometimes. It doesn't mean  
they have something seriously wrong with them."  
  
"These computers are a lot more sophisticated than what you use on Earth," Andros  
replied, with a trace of derision. "You ought to know that by now. Zordon designed these things  
to be as close to perfect as possible. The readings last night were very clear. Either there really  
was something down there that we missed, or this computer had a major breakdown."  
  
"I don't like that idea," said Cassie. "Do you remember that strange wind we felt? It was  
so cold . . ." She shivered a little.  
  
"Well, whatever it was," said T.J., "I don't think we need to worry about it. It's gone  
now, and it didn't do any damage."  
  
"That we know of," Andros added darkly, beginning to reassemble the computer console.  
  
The other Rangers ignored the remark. Andros had always been moody, and now the  
stress of his current situation was making him even more pessimistic than usual. Having rescued  
his beloved sister only to have her taken even further from his reach had been hard on him, and he  
was having difficulty coping with it.  
  
Just then, the door of the bridge opened to admit Zhane, and his teammates greeted him  
with smiles and waves. In the strain of the last few days, everyone had been grateful for the  
company of the eternally cheerful Silver Ranger. Though he was as unhappy about the loss of his  
best friend's sister as everyone else was (if not more so - they all knew, by now, about his  
disastrous tete-a-tete with the Princess of Evil), he remained positive in his outlook. Sooner or  
later, everything would come out fine and love would conquer all. In the meantime, he did his best  
to lift the spirits of his friends with his clownish antics.  
  
"Hey, guys! What are ya'll doing?" he asked, casually taking a seat in Andros's chair and  
propping his feet on a computer.  
  
"I was checking to see if there were any glitches in this thing's hardware," Andros replied,  
"but everything checks out. I'm going to run a program diagnostics test next."  
  
"Why? Was there a malfunction?" Zhane asked.  
  
"There was something," said T.J. "Last night, the computer picked up high energy  
readings in the warehouse district, like there were very powerful life forms gathered there, but  
when we looked, we didn't see a thing."  
  
"We felt something, though," said Andros, "unless we imagined it. It was like a wind going  
right through us."  
  
"Weird," said Zhane. "Maybe what you were looking for is invisible."  
  
"Like the Phantom," Cassie murmured.   
  
"Improbable," said Andros, "but possible, I'll grant you. Stranger things have happened."  
  
"Well, I don't think we should worry about it too much," said Cassie. "As long as nothing  
like that happens again . . ."  
  
"Alert!" announced DECA suddenly. "Unauthorized life forms detected on megadeck  
three."  
  
"Bring up a visual," Andros ordered.  
  
In reply, a monitor blinked on, showing . . . an empty room.  
  
"I don't see any life forms," said T.J.  
  
"Very strange," said Andros. "Maybe the problem is with the surveillance equipment. You  
guys want to help me out? I can't run a full test by myself."  
  
"Sure," said Cassie.  
  
"No problem," T.J. agreed.  
  
"I'll stay here," Zhane said. "Just to keep watch, you know."  
  
"Good idea," Andros replied. "We'll see you again in an hour or two. Call if anything  
comes up."  
  
"You got it," Zhane agreed.  
  
As his friends left the bridge, Zhane stared at the monitor and swivelled thoughtfully in his  
borrowed chair. Unlike his friend Andros, Zhane tended to act less from logic and more from  
impulse and instinct, and now his instincts were telling him that there was more to this situation  
that met the eye. Let Andros and the others run tests; Zhane intended to tackle this problem his  
own way.  
  
"DECA," he asked, "exactly how sure are you that there really is some kind of life form  
on megadeck three?"  
  
"Exact measure of confidence is 99.97859%." said DECA.  
  
"Okay, okay," he said. "I forgot, I shouldn't have said exactly. But you're pretty darn  
sure, right?"  
  
"That is what I just told you."  
  
"Fine. Can you identify what it is?"  
  
"A group of five beings. Energy readings are identical to those detected last night."  
  
"All right, now we're on to something," said Zhane. "Do you know of anything else that  
might give off the same kind of energy readings?"  
  
"Scanning data banks now. Please wait."  
  
Zhane didn't like waiting, but he did as he was told, feeling very clever for being able to  
unravel the mystery before his friends could. After a few minutes, DECA replied with an answer.  
  
"The energy readings are identical to those emitted by the Psycho Rangers."  
  
"Psycho Rangers?" Zhane repeated. "But we destroyed them, didn't we? Don't answer  
that," he added, before DECA tried to take him literally again. She could be as bad as he was, in  
her way, when it came to putting one over on her human companions. It made Zhane wonder if  
she was smarter than she let on.   
  
Zhane stared up at the ceiling, thinking hard. He was inclined to reject the first idea that  
came into his mind, but it wouldn't let go of him. There were very few constants in the universe,  
but one of them was that, no matter where you went, you would find tales of ghosts and undead.  
Most of them agreed on what ghosts were like and what their business was. They were the  
restless spirits of those who had unfinished business, who had been wronged, or had died violently  
or before their time. They were known to haunt the living, were usually invisible or at least hard  
to see, and it was also said that they had the chill of the grave about them. Remembering how  
Andros had mentioned a cold wind, Zhane decided to test his hypothesis.  
  
"DECA," he said, "switch the visual to a heat scan."  
  
The image on the computer screen obligingly shifted, now showing the world in a digital  
spectrum of colors according to how warm or cold each object was. Where there had been  
nothing visible before, Zhane could now make out five shapes moving around and evidently  
carrying on a conversation. They were disturbingly familiar.  
  
"Aha!" he said. "It really is the Psychos! Man, they just don't give up!"  
  
Even as he spoke, the figures on the screen seemed to come to a consensus. As a group,  
they turned and left the room.   
  
"Now where are they going?" he wondered.  
  
"That hall leads to the simudeck," DECA offered helpfully.  
  
"I knew that!" said Zhane. "The big question is, what would they want to do with the  
simudeck?"  
  
"What would who want to do with the simudeck?" a voice piped up. Zhane spun his chair  
around to face Alpha 6.  
  
"Alpha! Just who I needed to see," said Zhane. "Tell me, how far can the simudeck's  
abilities go? I mean, exactly how much can you do with it?"  
  
"It depends on the programming," Alpha replied. "Programmed properly, it could do  
almost anything."  
  
"Like maybe give substance to energy?" persisted Zhane.  
  
"Well, yes. That's happened before," said Alpha, sounding vaguely confused. "Matter and  
energy are the same thing, really. With enough power, a non-substantial entity could be given  
physical reality. It happened with the Craterites, due to a power surge from a lightning strike, but  
that was a freak accident. To try to recreate that kind of situation would be extremely dangerous.  
Is that what you wanted to know?"  
  
"Sort of," Zhane replied. "What do you mean when you say it could be dangerous?"  
  
"The ship doesn't have enough power to make something like that work for very long.  
Assuming you could even get it to work, it would probably shut down the whole ship - maybe  
even destroy it!"  
  
"In that case, we need to get the simudeck in a hurry," said Zhane. "The Psycho Rangers  
are on their way there right now."  
  
"But I thought you destroyed them!"  
  
"We did. It just didn't stop them. They're more stubborn than most monsters."  
  
"Do you think they'll try to use the simudeck to bring themselves back to life?"  
  
"Not if we get there first. Come on, Alpha. I've got an idea."  
  
***************************  
  
The Psycho Rangers, endowed with senses far beyond those of mere humans, naturally heard  
every word that Zhane and Alpha said.  
  
"Fear is such a wonderful weapon," said Psycho Black. "Just create a small problem and  
let your enemies imagine the worst-case scenario."  
  
"And then we make it so!" Psycho Blue put in, laughing coldly. "Foolish Ranger, devising  
his own destruction!"  
  
"We will use this magnificent machine, this simudeck, to make ourselves real again," said  
Psycho Black.   
  
"And then I will finally have my chance to destroy the Red Ranger!" Psycho Red growled.  
  
"Take it easy," said Psycho Black. "You and your obsession is what got us into this mess  
in the first place."  
  
"For you, anyway," Psycho Pink said. "My destruction was all her fault!" She shoved  
Psycho Yellow roughly and made her stumble backwards through the wall. It didn't seem to  
bother her. She stepped back through it as if it wasn't even there.  
  
"This is ridiculous," said Psycho Yellow. "We can't even hurt each other, much less the  
Power Rangers!"  
  
"Well, you're the mechanical expert here," said Psycho Blue. "Find that simudeck thing  
and program it to make us real again!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, don't blow a gasket," answered Psycho Yellow derisively. "I'll get it done.  
You can count on me!"  
  
"Sure hope so," Psycho Pink grumbled.  
  
"Enough!" shouted Psycho Black. "We'll never get anything done if we keep fighting with  
each other like this. The Power Rangers are the ones who destroyed us, so we need to  
concentrate on finding a way to pay them back, not arguing with each other over whose fault  
this is or who gets all the glory. Our only purpose is to destroy the Power Rangers. Agreed?"  
  
"Oh, all right," said Psycho Pink.  
  
"I'll work with her, but I won't like it," Psycho Yellow grumbled.  
  
"I'm with Psycho Black," said Psycho Blue. "We can argue after we've destroyed the  
Rangers."  
  
"I'll do anything to destroy the Red Ranger!" Psycho Red asserted.  
  
"Fine. We're agreed," said Psycho Black. "Let's find this simudeck and get to work."  
  
"Right!" the others agreed.  
  
The Psychos hurried along the hallway until they found the open area that made up the  
stage for whatever scenery the simudeck might be used to create.   
  
"I think this is it," said Psycho Yellow. "Let me check it out."   
  
The Yellow Psycho Ranger transformed into a cloud of yellow lights and worked her way  
inside the computer. Moments later, she returned.  
  
"This is it, all right," she announced. "I can use it to put us back into our true forms, but  
only for a little while. Remember what the Ranger said? We won't have more than a couple of  
hours before the ship runs out of power."  
  
"That's all we'll need," said Psycho Blue. "It shouldn't take me that long to destroy the  
Blue Ranger!"  
  
"Follow me, then," said Psycho Yellow. Reverting back to her light form, she shot inside  
the machine, followed closely by the other Psychos. The computer hummed loudly, and its lights  
blinked crazily. Suddenly, something exploded, giving off a cascade of sparks. A siren wailed, and  
then . . . five newly re-created Psycho Rangers appeared on the simudeck.  
  
"It worked!" Psycho Red exclaimed.  
  
"Just barely," replied Psycho Yellow. "That was cutting it close. I hope nothing goes  
wrong."  
  
"Nothing is going to go wrong," said Psycho Blue, "and we're wasting time talking about  
it. We've got two hours to get rid of the Power Rangers, and we may never get another chance."  
  
"Better make this work, then," Psycho Black replied.  
  
Suddenly, Psycho Yellow looked towards the door opposite from the one they had come  
through.  
  
"Someone's coming," she said.  
  
"Probably that irritating Silver Ranger and the little robot," said Psycho Red. "The Silver  
Ranger has made fools of us too many times before. What do you say we make him our first  
victim?"  
  
The other Psychos laughed and nodded in agreement.  
  
At that moment, Zhane and Alpha rounded a corner and entered the room, carrying a  
couple of strange tools. Zhane, in the lead, was the first to catch sight of the Psychos.  
  
"Whoa, boy!" he exclaimed, and jumped backwards in surprise, nearly knocking over his  
robotic companion. "I think we're a little late."  
  
"Oh, no! You're right on time," said Psycho Blue. "As a matter of fact, your time has  
come!"  
  
"I don't think so!" Zhane responded. He whipped out his Digimorpher, but before he had  
a chance to use it, the Psychos began to fire on him, forcing him to dive out of the way. He  
managed to get away safely, but Alpha, less agile than his human friend was hit full-force by the  
evil Rangers's lasers.  
  
"Aieeee!" he shrieked as he was thrown against the wall with a metallic crash. He fell to  
the floor and lay still.  
  
"Alpha!" cried Zhane, hurrying to his friend's side.  
  
"Aw, what's the matter?" jeered Psycho Pink. "Did we break your toy? So sorry." She  
laughed with malicious glee.  
  
Zhane ignored the Psycho's taunts. "Alpha, are you all right? Say something!"  
  
"I don't feel so good," said Alpha weakly. "Ay, yi, yi . . ." His lights flickered out, and he  
faded into the mechanical equivalent of unconsciousness.  
  
"You're going to pay for that!" Zhane shouted angrily at the Psychos. "Let's rocket!"  
  
Light surrounded Zhane as he transformed into his magnificent alter-ego, the Silver  
Ranger. He tried to attack the Psychos, but even in his super-powered form, he didn't have nearly  
as much strength as the combined Psycho Rangers had. Before he could even get close to them,  
Psycho Pink produced her bow and fired a succession of pink energy arrows at him. He was  
thrown across the room, where he landed with a thump on the hard metal floor. Though not  
seriously injured, the fall was enough to make him realize that he didn't stand a chance against the  
Psychos if he was fighting alone, not in this kind of battle. It was time to retreat, to join his  
friends, and to plan.  
  
"Surrender now," said Psycho Blue, "before I use you to test my axe before I go after  
your friend the Blue Ranger!"  
  
"A Power Ranger never surrenders!" Zhane answered. "I'll come back for you, and next  
time, you won't be so lucky!"  
  
So saying, he carefully picked up the fallen robot, and, half carrying him and half dragging  
him, took him out of the room and away from the Psychos.  
  
"Ha! Did you see that?" Psycho Black gloated. "We beat the invincible Silver Ranger on  
his own turf!"  
  
"I didn't see you doing any of the fighting," retorted Psycho Pink. "I was the one who  
shot him. All you did was stand there and watch."  
  
"All right, all right!" said Psycho Black. "I thought we agreed we were going to do this  
together without arguing!"  
  
"Yeah, well that doesn't mean you get to take all the credit for what I do," Psycho Pink  
muttered.  
  
"Quiet, all of you!" snarled Psycho Red. "We don't have time for this! We only have a few  
precious minutes to complete our mission, so stop talking and get moving! I for one, do not  
intend to let any of you keep me from destroying the Red Ranger!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we know, we know," said Psycho Yellow. "Is that all you ever think about?"  
  
"I'm with him," said Psycho Blue. "Let's split up, hunt the Rangers down, and destroy  
them, before our time runs out."  
  
***********************  
  
Carlos and Ashley, chatting with each other as they made their way toward the gym, were  
surprised to see Zhane came running down the hall at full tilt, carrying the nonfunctional form of  
Alpha 6.  
  
"Zhane, what happened?" asked Ashley. "Why are you morphed? What's wrong with  
Alpha?"  
  
"You aren't going to believe this," Zhane panted, "but we just had a run-in with the  
Psycho Rangers! They tried to take me down, but they hit Alpha instead."  
  
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Ashley.  
  
"How could the Psychos be back?" Carlos asked.  
  
"No time to explain that now!" Zhane replied. "We've got to find Andros, and fast! He's  
the only one here who knows how to fix Alpha, and if we don't fix him soon, his emergency  
battery will run down, and that will be the end of him!"  
  
"Okay, don't panic," said Carlos. "DECA, call Andros and tell him to come to the  
workroom immediately."   
  
The ship's computer, who usually had a reply for any remark addressed to her (as well as  
some that weren't) was strangely silent.  
  
"DECA?" Carlos repeated. "DECA, is something wrong?"  
  
No answer.  
  
******************  
  
"There!" said Psycho Yellow, snipping through the last of several colored wires. "That  
takes care of ship security! Can't have anyone knowing what we're up to."  
  
"Coward," Psycho Pink muttered.  
  
"Say that again," snapped Psycho Yellow, raising a fist threateningly.   
  
"Come on! You know you don't have what it takes to beat the Power Rangers in a fair  
fight," said Psycho Pink. "You've got to sneak up on them and take them by surprise."  
  
"You're just jealous because you didn't think of it first," Psycho Yellow replied, "and even  
if you had, you wouldn't have had the brains to carry it out."  
  
"Just because I'm a REAL warrior instead of a techno-dweeb like you . . ."  
  
"I'll show you what being a real warrior is all about!" answered Psycho Yellow furiously.  
"Just let me track down the Yellow Ranger, and you'll see a battle you'll never forget!"  
  
"Seeing you get blown to pieces would be a memorable event," said Psycho Pink.  
  
"Grrrr . . ." Psycho Yellow snarled in anger, but began scanning the area in search of the  
Power Rangers. Her electrically enhanced senses could hear a pin being dropped on the other side  
of a busy city, if she chose, so of course she could easily hear the sound of the Yellow Ranger  
conversing with Zhane and Carlos a few rooms away.  
  
"Got her!" she said. "She's over that way, with the Black and Silver Rangers. Now all I've  
got to do is . . ."  
  
Suddenly, the entire ship trembled, and the lights blinked erratically. The Pink and Yellow  
Psychos braced themselves against the wall until the tremor passed.  
  
"What was that? Some kind of earthquake?" asked Psycho Pink.  
  
"No, you psychotic excuse for a Psycho!" snarled Psycho Yellow. "We're in space! Either  
we ran into some kind of cosmic phenomenon, or . . ." She turned to the computer panel she had  
just been working on and pushed some buttons. "I was afraid of this. The transformation took  
more out of the ship than I thought it would. If we don't finish this and end the simudeck program  
soon, the whole thing will short out and we'll all be destroyed!"  
  
"I'm not going to stand for that," said Psycho Pink. "You have your fun. I'm going to  
look for the Pink Ranger. She's going to be destroyed, but I don't want to go with her. Being  
destroyed the first time was bad enough!"  
  
"Fine, then," said Psycho Yellow. "You won't get any more help from me!"   
  
"Since when did you ever help me?" Psycho Pink retorted. Before her partner could reply,  
she turned and darted off down the hall on her own mission of destruction.  
  
**********************  
  
Meanwhile, in the engine room, Andros and his companions had also felt the disruption on  
their ship.   
  
"What was that?" asked T.J.  
  
"I don't know," Andros replied, but I don't think I like it. DECA, what's going on?"  
  
Naturally, he received no answer, thanks to Psycho Yellow's handiwork.  
  
"Something's really wrong," said Cassie. "We should find the others."  
  
"Sounds like they're on their way to find us," T.J. said. "Listen! Someone's coming."  
  
"Wait a second," said Andros. "Those aren't their voices. They sound like . . . hide!"  
  
Andros quickly hid himself behind a stack of crates. The other two Rangers followed their  
leader's example. As they waited, trying to keep their breathing silent, they could overhear three  
ominously familiar voices.  
  
"I know they're here somewhere," said Psycho Blue. "I heard the Blue Ranger's voice!"  
  
"Is this like the time you swore you heard a communicator, and it turned out to be a  
computerized address book?" asked Psycho Red with a sneer.  
  
"No, I heard it, too," said Psycho Black, "so stop acting so superior. This is supposed  
to be a team effort, you know."  
  
"Who put you in charge?" Psycho Red shot back. "I'm the leader of this team, not you!"  
  
"It seems to me you haven't been doing a very good job of it," said Psycho Black. "I  
haven't forgotten how you flew off the handle the last time we fought the Rangers. If it hadn't  
been for you and your obsessions, we would have won that fight!"  
  
"We still would have won if you and Psycho Yellow hadn't interfered!" Psycho Red  
snapped.  
  
"Both of you shut up!" said Psycho Blue. "The Blue Ranger is around here somewhere,  
but I'm not going to be able to find him with you two talking so much!"  
  
"Who cares about the Blue Ranger?" asked Psycho Red. "It's the Red Ranger I'm  
interested in!"  
  
"Well, I heard him here, too," said Psycho Black, "so be quiet!"  
  
Andros listened to the voices incredulously. How could the Psychos have returned? He  
realized his heart was racing with fear and surprise, and he took a few cautious breaths, trying to  
quiet it, fearing that even such a tiny sound would be audible to the Psycho's superhuman senses.  
  
*It's going to be okay,* he thought. *All we have to do is keep from being heard . . .*  
  
Just then, his communicator blipped.  
  
********************  
  
"Why isn't he answering?" Zhane asked in consternation.   
  
"Um . . . maybe we shouldn't have done that," said Ashley. "I just remembered that the  
Psychos can track us down by listening for our communicators."  
  
Zhane slapped his forehead in chagrin. "Oh, that's right! Stupid!"  
  
"It doesn't matter, anyway," said Carlos. "With DECA shut down, we don't have any way  
of knowing where the Psychos are anyway. No matter how you look at it, we're sitting ducks."  
  
"We aren't beaten yet," said Zhane. "We won before, and we can do it again."  
  
"But last time it was only three Psychos we had to beat," said Ashley, "and they didn't  
have the element of surprise."  
  
Suddenly, the ship started shaking again. All the lights went black, and an emergency siren  
wailed somewhere. A few of the keypads on the wall suddenly exploded as their circuitry shorted  
out, lighting the room just enough that the Rangers got a split-second view of their friends's  
shocked faces. Then, there was another second of darkness before the lights flickered reluctantly  
back on.  
  
"We're still losing power," said Carlos. "We have to get rid of the Psychos or the ship  
might self-destruct with us still in it!"  
  
"Maybe . . ." said Zhane thoughtfully, "but maybe not. What if we could get into the main  
engine room and shut everything down? Without a source of power, the Psychos should  
disappear, shouldn't they?"  
  
"Well, it might work," Ashley admitted, "but we've got to keep the engine running so the  
ship can stay aloft. If we turn off all the power, we'll be pulled in by the Earth's gravity and  
crash!"  
  
"Wait," said Carlos. "We're flying pretty high up right now. It would take a while for the  
ship to really start falling fast. All we would have to do is turn off the engine for a second and  
then turn it on again. It would be cutting it close, but we might just be able to pull it off."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Ashley nervously.  
  
"It makes sense to me," said Zhane. "I'm for giving it a shot."  
  
"Same here," Carlos agreed.   
  
"Well, okay," said Ashley, "as long as you know what you're doing."  
  
"We'd better not stand here all day talking," said Zhane. "There's no time to lose. Come  
on, let's get going before those Psychos track us down."  
  
"Too late," a voice said. The Rangers turned to see Psycho Yellow standing in the  
doorway.  
  
******************  
  
"Did you hear that?" Psycho Black asked his companions.  
  
"Hear what?" asked Psycho Blue. He had been too involved with his argument with  
Psycho Red to pay any attention to his surroundings.  
  
"One of those foolish Rangers is trying to use his communicator," said Psycho Black. "It  
was coming from in here!"  
  
The Psychos entered the engine room. Andros, hidden insecurely behind a pile of  
cardboard boxes full of spare parts, held his breath and watched tensely.  
  
"I don't see anything," Psycho Red grumbled.  
  
"You idiot!" snapped Psycho Blue. "Did you think they would be standing around in plain  
view? They're hiding from us."  
  
"If they were smart, they would surrender right now," said Psycho Black.  
  
"I don't want them to surrender," Psycho Red replied. "I want a real fight. I want to make  
the Red Ranger beg for mercy so I can have the pleasure of denying it to him!"  
  
*Same old Psychos,* Andros thought to himself. *Still can't think of anything but winning  
battles. Good thing, too. If they could think rationally, we'd be in trouble.*  
  
"I don't know," said Psycho Blue to Psycho Red. "The idea of surrender does have a  
certain appeal. It might be fun to toy with them a little before we destroy them. Give them some  
hope just to snatch it away again. It could be fun."  
  
"Don't count your Rangers before they're captured," Psycho Black scolded. "We still  
haven't found them, and we're running out of time!"  
  
"Didn't I tell you to stop bossing me around?" snarled Psycho Red. "I've had it up to here  
with being told what to do! You're worse than Astronema."  
  
"Well, somebody has to keep you in line," Psycho Black retorted. "You don't know  
anything about leadership."  
  
"Are you saying you want to be in charge here?" asked Psycho Red dangerously.  
  
"I'm saying you're starting to get on my nerves with your obsessions and your  
overconfidence," Psycho Black said, beginning to lose his cool, "and I really think I WOULD be a  
better leader than you!"  
  
"Oh, is that so? Well, if you want leadership so badly, why don't you fight me for it?"  
  
"Gladly!"  
  
"Um," said Psycho Blue, "aren't we forgetting something?"  
  
"Shut up!" Psycho Red growled. "You stay out of this! Or are you turning against me,  
too?"  
  
"No," said Psycho Blue. "It's just that . . ."  
  
"Save it," Psycho Black interrupted. "I want to finish this right now!"  
  
"Okay, have it your way," said Psycho Blue, "but if the Power Rangers get away while  
you're having this fight, don't blame me!"  
  
"Ridiculous," Psycho Red scoffed. "The Power Rangers can't get out. We have the door  
blocked. If they want out, they'll have to come through us."  
  
Suddenly, a tall pile of boxes and crates fell on the Psychos, courtesy of a small push from  
the Ranger who had been hiding behind them. The unfortunate Psycho Rangers were buried and  
half crushed by the heavy crates. Andros, deprived of his hiding place, leaped over the mess and  
dashed for the relative safety of the hallway.  
  
"T.J, Cassie, run!" he called out.  
  
T.J. obeyed the call, barging out from his hiding place and making a jump and tumble over the  
stacks of boxes and spilled bits of machinery. He scrambled to his feet and took off down the hall.  
However, Cassie didn't move as quickly. As she tried to jump over the fallen Psychos, Psycho  
Blue reached up and managed to grab her ankle. She fell down hard and tried frantically to get  
back up, but the mess that was trapping the Psychos hampered her movements as well. She tried  
to find some kind of hand or foot hold, but the objects on the floor got in her way. Finally, she  
managed to disentangle herself and make a half-crawl towards the door . . . only to find her way  
blocked by a row of black metal boots.  
  
********************  
  
Psycho Yellow struck a superior pose as she stared at her heroic counterpart.  
  
"Well, well," she said. "We meet again, Yellow Ranger. What a pleasant surprise."  
  
"Uh-oh," said Carlos. "I think we have a small problem."  
  
"Only a small problem?" repeated Psycho Yellow. "I'm insulted!"  
  
"You can't be so tough," Zhane said. "We all know you don't have very much power.  
You can't. The simudeck isn't capable of generating enough to make you a threat."  
  
"That isn't what it looked like to me," said Psycho Yellow. "As I recall, we beat you  
earlier today without even trying hard."  
  
"Well, this time the situation is different," Zhane replied. "You're outnumbered."  
  
"True," said Psycho Yellow, "but I'm only interested in one of you. You boys can leave.  
It's the Yellow Ranger I want." She paused to consider. "Of course, I could destroy you anyway.  
It might even be interesting. I would love to hear what Psycho Black would say when he found  
out I had gotten to his Ranger first, and you, Silver Ranger, are fair game for anyone who can  
catch you. This could be fun! Psycho Pink wouldn't dare say I'm not a real warrior if I destroyed  
all of you!"  
  
"Did Psycho Pink really say that about you?" asked Ashley, with convincing disbelief. She  
winked subtly at her friends.  
  
"Yeah," Psycho Yellow replied. "Can you believe it? The nerve of her!"  
  
"Unbelievable," said Zhane.   
  
"That's just not right," added Carlos sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah, it bites," said Psycho Yellow. "I'm a better fighter than she'll ever be - faster,  
stronger, better reflexes. . ."  
  
"Smarter, too," Zhane chimed in.  
  
"You said it," the Psycho Ranger agreed. "When I think about the things she said, it just  
burns me up!"  
  
The Rangers exchanged surreptitious smiles. Psycho Yellow was getting so wrapped up in  
her personal conflict that she had forgotten her earlier intentions. There just might be a way out of  
this after all!  
  
"I'll bet you could beat her in a fight any day of the week," said Carlos.  
  
"Forget Psycho Pink," Zhane added. "I'll bet Psycho Yellow could beat Psycho Red!"  
  
"You think so?" asked Ashley.  
  
"For sure," Zhane replied. "I mean, Psycho Yellow is obviously the best fighter in the  
bunch, and she has technical know-how they don't. Smart, strong, level-headed . . . she'd make a  
great leader, much better than that dumb old Psycho Red."  
  
"You think so?" Psycho Yellow had listened to the conversation with considerable  
interest.   
  
"Oh, definitely," answered Carlos. "How could you lose?"  
  
"Hmm," said Psycho Yellow thoughtfully. "Me as leader? The idea does have a certain  
appeal . . ."  
  
"Go for it!" Zhane encouraged. "Stand up for yourself! Don't let the others push you  
around!"  
  
"Now that you mention it," said Psycho Yellow, "Psycho Red never was a good leader.  
He can't think of anyone but himself! And lately, Psycho Black has been getting really pushy. I'm  
starting to get fed up with them both."  
  
"Why do the guys always get to be in charge?" Ashley chimed in. "The team would do  
much better if it was led by a woman."  
  
"You know, you're right!" said Psycho Yellow. "I'm going to find Red and Black, and  
I'm going to show them what a real warrior is like!"  
  
"That's the spirit!" agreed Zhane. "Go show 'em what you're made of!"  
  
"Right!" Psycho Yellow replied. "I can't wait to get my hands on those two . . ."   
  
The Yellow Psycho Ranger turned and hurried down the hall in search of her comrades.  
The Rangers breathed sighs of relief.  
  
"That was cutting it close," said Carlos.  
  
"Pretty quick thinking there, Ashley," Zhane said. "Maybe putting a woman in charge isn't  
a bad idea!"  
  
"Who said it was?" Ashley replied. "Right now, though, I'm worried about Alpha. We've  
got to go find Andros, and fast."  
  
"And we've got to go to the engine room to turn off the power," Carlos added.  
  
"Well, last I heard, Andros was in the engine room, so we have to go there anyway,"said  
Zhane.  
  
"Right," said Ashley. "Lets get moving, before we run into any more Psychos."  
  
The three Rangers hurried down the hall, not knowing that what they would find at their  
destination was exactly what they wanted to avoid.  
  
*************************  
  
"Well, well, well," said Psycho Red in his unctuous voice, "what do we have here? It  
looks like a little lost Power Ranger. What do you think we should do with her?"  
  
Cassie stared up helplessly at the three Psycho Rangers blocking the only avenue to  
freedom and safety.   
  
"I think we ought to destroy her," said Psycho Blue.  
  
"But this is the Pink Ranger!" Psycho Black objected. "She belongs to Psycho Pink!"  
  
"I say, finders, keepers," answered Psycho Red. "She can have some other Ranger to  
destroy."  
  
"Not mine!" said Psycho Blue. "Nobody touches the Blue Ranger but me!"  
  
"She can have the silver one, then," answered Psycho Red. "Besides, she should have been  
keeping a closer eye on this one if she really wanted her. I say we just get rid of the Pink Ranger  
ourselves, before she gets into any trouble."  
  
"What was that about the Pink Ranger?" a voice interrupted.  
  
Everyone looked up to see Psycho Pink standing outside in the hallway.  
  
"It's about time you showed up," said Psycho Blue. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I had a little argument with Psycho Yellow," Psycho Pink replied. "What have you been  
doing . . . besides trying to steal what is rightfully mine?"  
  
"Who's stealing?" asked Psycho Red. "I found her, fair and square!"  
  
"She tripped over you, you mean," Psycho Black snickered. "That was right after your  
Red Ranger buried you in a pile of boxes."  
  
"Is that what happened?" asked Psycho Pink incredulously. "How pathetic! And he calls  
himself a leader! I liked it better when Astronema was in charge. The Rangers never put one over  
on her."  
  
"That's because she stayed in her room all day being waited on, while we did all the hard  
work," Psycho Blue muttered.  
  
"Are you challenging me, too, now?" snarled Psycho Red to Psycho Pink. "Why has  
everyone turned against me? Well, I'll show you who's a leader . . . and I'll start by destroying the  
Pink Ranger!"  
  
"Don't you dare!" screamed Psycho Pink in rage. She flew at Psycho Red, and the two  
clashed in a furious battle, sparks flying from their robotic suits as they struck each other. Psycho  
Black tried to stop the fight, only to be pitched across the room by the two angry combatants.  
  
"Humph!" muttered Psycho Blue. "They are all pitiful! Well, I might as well take  
advantage of the situation."   
  
With a quick hand gesture, he produced his weapon of choice, a cruel double-bladed axe.  
Before anyone saw what he was doing, he made his way toward Cassie, weapon raised, ready to  
strike a killing blow.  
  
*********************  
  
Andros and T.J. rounded a corner and nearly crashed into the other three Rangers.  
  
"Whoa, am I glad to see you guys!" said Zhane. "I was afraid the Psychos got you!"  
  
"I was starting to wonder about you, too," Andros replied. "We just barely got away from  
them ourselves."  
  
"Hey," said Ashley suddenly. "Where's Cassie? I thought she was with you guys."  
  
"She was," said Andros.  
  
"I guess she isn't anymore," Zhane replied.  
  
"The Psychos must have gotten her!" T.J. exclaimed. "We've got to go back for her!"  
  
"We were heading that direction anyway," said Zhane. "Carlos has a plan to get rid of the  
Psychos. Come on, we'll explain on the way."  
  
The reunited Rangers hurried to the rescue of their friend.  
  
*************************  
  
Cassie's attention was drawn away from the battle between the three raging Psychos by a  
peripheral glimpse of movement. She turned around to see Psycho Blue approaching her with  
deadly intent. She froze, wondering what to do.   
  
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light - golden light that hissed through the air and  
struck Psycho Blue's wrist, making him scream and drop his weapon. All eyes turned to see  
Psycho Yellow standing at the front of the room, casually holding her own villainous version of  
the Star Slinger.  
  
"Don't anybody make a move," she said. "I'm taking over!"  
  
"You and what army?" Psycho Red retorted.  
  
"I don't need an army to beat you," she said. "Even our enemies admit that I'm a greater  
fighter than you, Psycho Red."  
  
p"The Power Rangers said that?" asked Psycho Black. "When was this?"  
  
"Just a minute ago, when I was talking to them in the . . ." She trailed off as realization  
dawned on her. "Wait a second! Those rotten Rangers tricked me! I had them, and I let them get  
away!"  
  
"You moron!" jeered Psycho Blue. "Some leader you'd make! Now, if I were in charge,  
you wouldn't see me doing anything like - ouch!"  
  
The Blue Psycho Ranger's assertion was cut short. Cassie had taken advantage of the  
Psychos's distraction seize the weapon Psycho Blue had dropped. It wasn't exactly her preference  
in armament, but it was good enough. She aimed carefully and struck hard. Unaided by the boost  
of strength morphing would have given her, she wasn't able to inflict much real damage to the  
Psycho's armor-plated body, but she was still able to knock him off his feet. Quickly, Cassie  
scrambled to her feet. The other Psychos were still trying to figure out what had just happened,  
but it wouldn't take them long. She would have to act fast. Fortunately, there was help available  
at the touch of a button.  
  
"Let's Rocket!" she shouted.  
  
There was a bright flash of pink light as Cassie made her metamorphosis. The Psychos  
watched, unimpressed. They had seen the trick before, and they hadn't been very impressed the  
first time.  
  
"Okay, Psychos," she said. "I've had about enough of you. Anybody think they could take  
me down now?"  
  
"No problem," said Psycho Pink. "Remember, I know everything about you. I know how  
you move. I know how you fight. I can block every move you make before you even think about  
making it."  
  
"We'll see about that," said Cassie. "Satellite Stunner!"  
  
The Pink Ranger produced her weapon, at the same time wishing that she might have been  
equipped with something a little more formidable.   
  
p"Isn't that cute?" sneered Psycho Blue. "She's going to hurt us with her little toy! Ooh,  
I'm so scared!"  
  
"Yeah, well you should be," said Cassie. Psycho Pink's bragging had sparked a train of  
thought, and now she was hatching a plan. "I have a weapon that's way stronger than anything  
you have."  
  
"Ha! That's a good one," Psycho Red laughed.  
  
"Better watch it," cautioned Cassie. She leveled her Satellite Stunner, aiming at the leader  
of the Psycho Rangers. Suddenly, she spun around and took a shot at Psycho Pink with her Astro  
Blaster instead. The Pink Psycho was caught totally off guard. There was an explosion of golden  
sparks as she was thrown against the wall.  
  
"I thought you said you knew every move Pink Ranger would make before she made it,"  
said Psycho Black to his fallen comrade.  
  
"I thought I did!" Psycho Pink protested. "She's never done anything like that before!"  
  
"Actually," said Cassie, "I learned that move yesterday from Zhane, long after you read  
my mind, so of course you don't know about it."  
  
"Well, that's no problem," said Psycho Pink, scrambling to her feet. "I'll just read your  
mind again!"  
  
"Not so fast!" interrupted a voice. The rest of the Power Rangers had arrived, morphed  
and ready for battle.  
  
"What do you know?" said Psycho Red. "The gang's all here at last! Now we can finally  
finish this once and for all!"  
  
"Sounds like a great idea," said Andros. "I've had about all I can stand of you Psychos."  
  
"Well, you won't have to worry about that much longer," Psycho Red replied, "because in  
a few minutes, you'll be blown to oblivion!"  
  
"I don't think so! Ready, Rangers?" Andros asked.  
  
"Ready! Let's do it!"  
  
Chaos ensued. Good Rangers and evil Rangers met in a furious battle, and sparks flew as  
powerful weapons struck enchanted armor or clashed with each other with a sound of ringing  
metal. The Psychos were extremely strong and skilled, but the Rangers refused to give up. They  
were fighting for their lives in their own sanctuary, and there was nowhere to which they could  
escape, even if they wanted to. The Psychos realized this, and they pressed their advantage.   
  
"This isn't going well," said T.J., his side smarting from where he had received a blow  
from Psycho Blue's axe.  
  
"You can say that again," Ashley replied, herself feeling rather unsteady after taking a few  
direct hits from Psycho Yellow's laser slinger.  
  
"Keep it together, gang," Andros encouraged. "We're not beaten yet. Assemble the  
QuadroBlaster!"  
  
The Rangers rallied together and combined their weapons. Andros revved his Spiral Saber  
into booster mode. On a word of command from their leader, the team fired two twin bursts of  
power and sent them hurtling at their adversaries. There was a loud crackling sound and a flash of  
light, as the Psychos were enveloped by burning energy.  
  
It took a second for the Rangers to realize that something was wrong. Instead of striking  
the Psychos and destroying them, the laser blasts hadn't even touched the evil Rangers. The  
energy hovered in a cloud of colored lightning bolts around the Psychos, who stood still and calm  
in the eye of the storm.  
  
"What happened? What are they doing?" asked Zhane.  
  
"I think . . . I think they're using the same strategy we used to destroy them," Andros said  
incredulously. "They've absorbed our power to use against us!"  
  
"That's right, Ranger!" crowed Psycho Red. "We can learn new tricks, too! Psycho  
Rangers, fire!"  
  
"Get out of the way!" Andros shouted.  
  
The Rangers scrambled to do as they were told, but it was too late. Their own laser blast,  
augmented by the strength of the Psychos, poured out on them. They cried out in pain as they felt  
the laser beams burning through their suits, and then . . .   
  
Silence.  
  
The Psycho Rangers stared in amazement. For a moment, they couldn't quite believe what  
they were seeing: six black scorch marks on the floor, a few charred-looking weapons. The  
Rangers were gone.   
  
"Can it really be true?" asked Psycho Black. "Are they really destroyed?"  
  
"Shh!" Psycho Yellow hissed. "Listen!"  
  
The Psychos listened. They heard . . . silence. Dead silence.  
  
"We did it!" cried Psycho Blue. "We finally defeated the Power Rangers!"  
  
Any celebrating was cut short as the ship began to tremble again. The lights blacked out,  
and the steady light of the engine suddenly began to flicker ominously.  
  
"I think we've overdone it a little," said Psycho Yellow. "This ship's going to explode in a  
few minutes if we don't change back!"  
  
"You heard her! Get moving!" Psycho Red ordered.   
  
The Psycho Rangers hurried down the hallway as fast as their metal-booted feet could  
carry them. They reached they simudeck room, where Psycho Yellow hurriedly programmed the  
computer while the rest of the team waited impatiently.   
  
"All right!" she called. "Five seconds to activation!" She made a dash for the simudeck  
and rejoined the rest of the team just as the program took effect. As the Psychos reverted to ghost  
state, the ship ceased its trembling and the lights came back on.  
  
"We made it!" said Psycho Pink.   
  
"At last! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! At last, I've finally destroyed the Red Ranger!" Psycho Red  
laughed insanely. "My destiny is fulfilled!"  
  
"Um, I have a question," said Psycho Black. "Uh . . . what exactly are we supposed to do  
now?"  
  
"What?" asked Psycho Red.  
  
"What do we do now?" Psycho Black repeated insistently. "Our whole reason for existing  
is to destroy Power Rangers. What do we do now that they're gone?"  
  
"Um . . ." For once, Psycho Red was at a loss for words.   
  
"We don't do anything!" cried Psycho Yellow. "We're ghosts now! No one will ever  
know what we did! We'll never get the glory we deserve! No one can even see or hear us! WE  
WENT THROUGH ALL THAT FOR NOTHING!"  
  
"No!" exclaimed Psycho Blue. "This can't be! I've gone through too much for it to end  
like this!"  
  
"But what can we do about it?" asked Psycho Black. "We're doomed! We're stuck like  
this, with no life and no purpose, for all time!"  
  
The Psycho Rangers thought this over. It was horrible, terrifying. It was also undeniably  
true.  
  
****************************  
  
Zhane, leaning casually against the simudeck computer, watched the Psychos with  
considerable amusement. Faced with an eternity of pointless non-existence, they were angrily  
cursing fate, the Rangers, and each other, unaware of the way things really stood. In truth, they  
had never left the simudeck, thanks to Zhane and Alpha's programming of the computer. The  
entire adventure had been, in truth, nothing more than an illusion created by the twisted mind of  
the Silver Ranger and brought into being by his robotic helper's technical know-how. Alpha, who  
didn't have Zhane's sneaky sense of humor, didn't think it was quite so funny.  
  
"Are you sure that was really a good idea?" he asked. "That last bit was so real, it almost  
fooled me!"  
  
"I just thought it would be fun to let them find out what it would be like to get what they  
wanted," Zhane replied. He laughed. "They don't seem to like it very much! Maybe they'll think  
twice about bothering us again."  
  
"Maybe," Alpha admitted reluctantly. "But don't you think this has gone on long  
enough?"  
  
"Nah. Let 'em suffer a little while. It'll be good for them," said Zhane.  
  
"Have it your way," Alpha replied. "I've got other things to do today. Don't get into  
trouble."  
  
Zhane looked offended. "I never get into trouble! Well, except that time where I let  
everybody think I was dying, and the time I went on that date with Astronema, and . . ."  
  
"How you and Andros became friends, I'll never know," said Alpha. "Bye, Zhane. Have  
fun." Alpha turned and clanked out of the room.  
  
A few moments later, Zhane's communicator blipped, and his best friend's voice came  
through.  
  
"Hey, Zhane," said Andros. "I just got done working in the engine room, but I couldn't  
find any problems."  
  
"It's okay," Zhane replied. "Alpha and I took care of it."  
  
"Really? What was it?"  
  
Zhane smiled. "Oh, just something gone psycho with the simudeck."  
  
"Simudeck?" Andros repeated. "What has the simudeck got to do with anything?"  
  
"I'll tell you about it later."  
  
"Oh. Well, anyway, do you want to come to lunch with us?" asked Andros. "The others  
said something about wanting to 'do Chinese,' whatever that means."  
  
"Nah. Thanks anyway," said Zhane. "I'm having fun here. Catch you guys later, okay?"  
  
"Okay. See ya, Zhane."  
  
Zhane turned back to the Psychos, who were still ranting and raving at the universe in  
general, and laughed.   
  
"They should put good stuff like this on T.V." he said. Still smiling, he settled himself  
more comfortably against the computer and sat back to watch what the Psychos would do next.  
  



End file.
